Speaker wire diameter and performance

[AndrewJ]

Gday Trevor

Doppler effects as they go past you ???

Andrew

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

See, I don't think that fully explains it. I think there is emotion that colours the actual results.

I like red, the first time I kissed a girl she was wearing a red dress, and I liked the kiss and I therefore I always like things that are red as it reminds me of those fond feelings of my first kiss. Red is also Ferrari's racing colour of choice, and Ferrari's go fast. Therefore I associate Red Ferraris with good feelings and speed.

So I can help but feel strongly that all red cars go faster, it just makes me happier.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

In the same vein, can someone tell me why red cars go faster?

For precisely the same reason $4000/m speaker cable sounds better.

What all you guys totally ignore is the placebo effect.
Its powerfull and it works. Endless scientific study has shown it is real and measurable.

If you have a high end sound system, $4000 speaker cable does absolutely sound better, regardless of the technical details (assuming it is not obviously deficient in some other way).

Life is full of product that seems to most a complete waste of money, thats is simply not the point. Assuming you can afford it, just the act of thinking you have "the best" product is sometimes all it takes to make the experience of using that product a sublime experience, with no doubt on the choice of that product. The slightest doubt lessens the experience. The more expensive it is, the more it reinforces the Placebo effect.

So punks, prove to me someone who is over-the-top-happy with an expensive daft purchase regardless of money, is somehow worse off than you with your considered spend always knowing you made some sort of intelligent compromise. .

I kid you not, Placebo effect is not a trick and has real value. Not understanding this is a narrow arrogant opinion that ignors human nature.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

See, I don't think that fully explains it. I think there is emotion that colours the actual results.

I like red, the first time I kissed a girl she was wearing a red dress, and I liked the kiss and I therefore I always like things that are red as it reminds me of those fond feelings of my first kiss. Red is also Ferrari's racing colour of choice, and Ferrari's go fast. Therefore I associate Red Ferraris with good feelings and speed.

So I can help but feel strongly that all red cars go faster, it just makes me happier.

EXACTLY

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

For precisely the same reason $4000/m speaker cable sounds better.

What all you guys totally ignore is the placebo effect.
Its powerfull and it works. Endless scientific study has shown it is real and measurable.

If you have a high end sound system, $4000 speaker cable does absolutely sound better, regardless of the technical details (assuming it is not obviously deficient in some other way).

Life is full of product that seems to most a complete waste of money, thats is simply not the point. Assuming you can afford it, just the act of thinking you have "the best" product is sometimes all it takes to make the experience of using that product a sublime experience, with no doubt on the choice of that product. The slightest doubt lessens the experience. The more expensive it is, the more it reinforces the Placebo effect.

So punks, prove to me someone who is over-the-top-happy with an expensive daft purchase regardless of money, is somehow worse off than you with your considered spend always knowing you made some sort of intelligent compromise. .

I kid you not, Placebo effect is not a trick and has real value. Not understanding this is a narrow arrogant opinion that ignors human nature.

Don't forget the Nocebo effect. That's why that cheap cable which is electrically just as good as the $4000 stuff sounds muddy

[ZeroID (Brent)]

All this is irrelevant, my ears are so crappy that it would be a waste of money anyway.
The interesting thing is that despite my quite severe tinnitus I can still tell a bum note when I hear it. Off key just grates my nerves. Weird to say the least.

[clive milne]

A couple of things that haven't been mentioned yet...
Arguably, the component that has the single biggest impact on sound reproduction is the speakers themselves.
A close second would be the acoustics of the environment they are placed in.
I would probably put signal processing/management third - digital active crossovers with RTA to set eq, crossover points, time and phase alignment should be considered long before throwing silly amounts of money at cables or amplifiers. If you haven't at least bi-wired your mains, you shouldn't be spending money on monster cable.
Don't discount high end pro-sound equipment as an option. It is invariably built to a much higher standard with far better performance than equivalent domestic hi-fi gear for a given price point. The caveat being that knowing what to look for in this field is a skill in itself.
And lastly...The very best use of the time and money you have available to devote to this endeavour is to learn about acoustics / speaker design and build a sound system to suit your specific situation, budget and tastes.

c

And for what it's worth, my background includes designing, building and operating (hi-fi quality level) sound systems for commercial events with up to 20,000 people.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Trevor

So I can help but feel strongly that all red cars go faster,

Hope the Wiggles and Coles dont feel the same

Andrew

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Can $4000/m speaker cable make Justin Bieber sound better?

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Gday Trevor



Hope the Wiggles and Coles dont feel the same

Andrew

It's relative, red cars are faster than the identical other coloured cars. Plus, I've been on the big red car ride at dreamworld and it's wild with 3yr olds.

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

Can $4000/m speaker cable make Justin Bieber sound better?

If it was fashioned in to a cat of nine tails, I would definitely say yes.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Fred

What all you guys totally ignore is the placebo effect.

Not totally.
As i mentioned earlier, and Clive reconfirmed, for really top quality setups, the design of the total system is what matters, similar to the design of an optical system.
Ie you dont stick an SCT focal reducer into an ACF scope and expect miracles.
I agree many people spend/waste huge amounts on audio systems and then self justify it to a level proportional to how much they have spent, but there are ways to properly design top quality audio, and its not always cheap.
Its just that this applies to only about 0.1% of people.

Leon is now happy, so all is well

Andrew

[AndrewJ]

Gday Trevor

It's relative, red cars are faster than the identical other coloured cars.

I think its just a pigment of yr imagination

Andrew

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Gday Trevor


I think its just a pigment of yr imagination

Andrew

Is that a coloured figment ... ?

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by clive milne

A couple of things that haven't been mentioned yet...
Arguably, the component that has the single biggest impact on sound reproduction is the speakers themselves.
A close second would be the acoustics of the environment they are placed in.

Yep, I've just moved house and re-discovered my stereo. The new lounge room/dining room is at least 3 times the size of the old lounge room but far far less cluttered. Also, the new room has no computer or anything else with a motor in it and I'm no longer near a noisy expressway, noisy highway and train line, so there is less background noise. Wonderful!!! Delicate sounds can now be heard and the whole sound is much more transparent.

Regarding monster cable, I was talked into buying some back in the early 80's when I had to place the turntable and amp in a separate room to the speakers. I thought it sounded better. Whether that is true or just placebo the effect continues to this day, long after the pain in the wallet has gone.